Bug FAQTropical Carpenter Ant
Camponotus atriceps · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Also called: Florida carpenter ant
The tropical carpenter ant lives in moist, forested areas from sea level up to about 2,300 m. It is native to the Americas. Trap boxes can be used to attract and control these ants around managed bee colonies without chemicals.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Empty hive trap boxes attract the ants and provide a non-chemical way to protect bee colonies. Trap boxes in communal shelters of stingless bees can control tracuá carpenter ants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Occurs from near sea level to 2,290 m elevation.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Endemic to the Americas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I control tropical carpenter ants near my bee hives?
Use empty hive trap boxes or similar trap boxes in the bee shelters to attract and capture the ants without chemicals.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does the tropical carpenter ant live?
It lives in moist, forested habitats such as rainforests and montane forests, from sea level up to about 2,300 m.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the tropical carpenter ant native to my area?
Yes, it is endemic to the Americas.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Formicidae)
Eastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your home
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan sting
American Winter AntPrenolepis imparis
Argentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerous
Immigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan sting
Odorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your homeSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camponotus_atriceps
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.